Mike Greaney is a comic artist known for his sharp comedic timing, clean yet expressive drawing style, and love for poking fun at everyday life with surreal twists. His work often blends pop culture references, absurd scenarios, and down-to-earth characters, creating a unique brand of humor that resonates with fans of webcomics and indie art alike.
Greaney’s comics are characterized by bold outlines, minimal yet effective shading, and an instinct for building setups that lead to hilarious payoffs. Whether it’s through parody, slice-of-life humor, or completely unexpected plot turns, he knows how to keep readers turning panels with a grin on their faces.
Artist Introduction and Bio – Mike Greaney
Mike Greaney is a comic artist known for his sharp comedic timing, clean yet expressive drawing style, and love for poking fun at everyday life with surreal twists. His work often blends pop culture references, absurd scenarios, and down-to-earth characters, creating a unique brand of humor that resonates with fans of webcomics and indie art alike.
Greaney’s comics are characterized by bold outlines, minimal yet effective shading, and an instinct for building setups that lead to hilarious payoffs. Whether it’s through parody, slice-of-life humor, or completely unexpected plot turns, he knows how to keep readers turning panels with a grin on their faces.
Comic by Mike Greaney. All artwork and characters belong to the artist. See more of his work on Instagram.
Comic Story Summary – Panel by Panel
The chaos begins in a city skyline as a terrified woman looks up at the sky, screaming, “Oh God! It’s the grid aliens!” Above her, blocky alien ships descend, shooting straight, searing beams into skyscrapers. The pastel sky sets a strangely calm backdrop to the pandemonium, making the moment even funnier.
A closer view of the alien ships reveals their unique (and somewhat video-game-like) attack style. They fire lasers in flawless, geometric straight lines, prompting the narrator to note, “They always attack in perfectly straight lines!” It’s a direct nod to old-school arcade shooters like Space Invaders and Galaga.
Enter the comic’s unlikely hero—a middle-aged man with a mullet, thick mustache, and no-nonsense glare. He says, “Well, they picked the worst place on Earth to do it…” His tough expression promises a fight.
We get the big reveal: this “worst place on Earth” is not a military base or secret lab—it’s John Blumpkin Karate School, an outer suburban karate dojo. The sensei, John Blumpkin himself, stands confidently in the center, flanked by his determined (and possibly preteen) students in karate uniforms, all shouting “Hai!”
The scene shifts to one of the invading aliens. A green-skinned, humanoid creature with a stern look begins its classic villain speech: “Take us 2 your leader, puny huma—” but doesn’t get to finish the sentence.
Before the alien can speak another word, a fist flies into its face with a sharp “KIAI!!” The impact is both satisfying and comically abrupt, cutting off the cliché alien dialogue in the best possible way.
We flash to a dramatic, book-cover-style image: John Blumpkin: Karate Hero – A Novel, written by “J.R.R. Blumpkin.” The red rising-sun background adds to the exaggerated heroic tone, as if this martial arts master is the protagonist of an epic saga.
And here’s the kicker—back in reality, we see John Blumpkin sitting in front of a publishing editor. She’s holding up his manuscript with a scowl and says, “Mr. Blumpkin, this is the worst manuscript I have ever read.” The sudden shift from action-hero fantasy to mundane rejection is comedy gold, perfectly deflating the over-the-top setup.
Why This Comic Works
This strip succeeds because it plays with our expectations. It starts like a sci-fi action story, builds up a ridiculous martial arts savior angle, and then swerves into pure slice-of-life humiliation. The tonal whiplash is deliberate and makes the humor land even harder.
Mike Greaney also uses visual comedy to great effect—exaggerated character expressions, abrupt cuts between fantasy and reality, and a restrained color palette that keeps the focus on the absurdity of the situations.
For fans of comedic comics, this is a perfect example of how you can pack a full mini-story, complete with a twist ending, into just eight panels.
Final Thoughts
“When I Was 13, I Was Described as a ‘Karate Prodigy’” is a testament to Mike Greaney’s talent for crafting short-form comedic storytelling that sticks with you. It’s equal parts nostalgic, weird, and hilarious—just the kind of thing you want in your Instagram comic feed.
